Rack for rubber stamps or the like



May 16, 1939. s. v. DAHLIN 2 RACK FOR RUBBER STAMPS OR THE LIKE 1 Filed Jur 1e 25, 1958 Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention is directed to a rack for rubber stamps or the like adapted to be placed upon a desk or table for the purpose of conveniently holding a number of rubber stamps or similar devices intended for recurrent use in such a way as to present them, in convenient and prearranged order, for ready removal when required.

The invention relates further to the form and construction of the clips for holding the individual tools or implements in such a way as to firmly embrace them when suspended and permit their ready insertion or removal and to means provided for mounting a plurality of such clips in convenient relation to one another.

Further objects and details will appear from the description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the rack as a whole;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a plurality of the clips viewed from the under side; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of the clips.

Each of the clips comprises a fixed jaw and a movable jaw H which jaws are pivoted together upon a pintle l2. Each of the jaws in its outer portion is outwardly bent or bulged to aiford a curved body portion 13 which terminates at its free end in a diverging tongue 14. The two jaws in conjunction thus afiord a split ringshaped holder having a throated entrance toward the gap between the jaws to facilitate the easy insertion of the handle of a rubber stamp or the like.

Each of the jaw members is formed of a strip of metal so configured as to bring the metal into vertically standing relation within the gripping portion of the jaws, but each of the jaws, at its inner end, terminates in a horizontally disposed portion through which the pintle I2 is entered. Thus the fixed jaw member ii] is provided with a twisted neck portion I5 bent or turned through an angle of ninety degrees, and in like manner the movable jaw member II is provided with a twisted neck portion Hi, the two neck portions being of convolute formation and nesting together when the jaws are closed, so that the neck portions constitute abutments for limiting the inner thrust of the jaws and holding them.

against slippage upon one another or against any movement other than the pivotal movement afforded by the pintle l2.

The fixed jaw member beyond the neck 15 affords a fiat body portion ll merging into an upas Wardly ofiset shoulder l8 which terminates in an attaching finger l9 provided with an aperture through which is entered a rivet 2| for attaching the fixed jaw member to a supporting bar 22.

The movable jaw member beyond the twisted neck terminates in a flat lying finger 23 provided near its end with an aperture 24 for the reception of the end of a coil spring 25, the inner end of which is secured to the supporting bar 22, the arrangement being such as to normally hold the jaws in closed relation and with the twisted neck portions nesting together, as clearly shown in the upper part of Fig. 3, but allowing the jaws to be opened by the movement of the movable jaw against spring tension, as indicated at the bottom of Fig. 3. I

The supporting bar 22 is of inverted channel formation having obliquely disposed marginal wings 26 against which the offset shoulder l8 of each of the clip members is adapted to abut as shown in Fig. 2. This shoulder contact assists the'rivets H in holding the clips in rigid contact with the supporting bar and in projecting relation thereto.

The supporting bar 22 is held in elevated relation above an ornamental base plate 21 by the provision of and posts or standards 28 which have their lower ends 29 inturned and entered into apertures 30 in the side walls of the base plate within which they are held by the provision of cross pins 3|. The base plate is provided with a depression or recess 32 which is adapted to receive an inking pad 33, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the base plate is preferably provided with cushion pads 34 to support the base plate upon a desk or table without marring or scratching the latter.

In use, a series of rubber stamps or other devices or articles which it is desired to support are positioned by forcing the handles of the rubber stamps or the like through the throated mouths of the jaws which may be opened or distended to permit the passage of the handles. The jaws are held in tight engagement with the articles supported by the springs connecting the respective movable jaws, so that it is not necessary to provide an exact or close fit between the jaws and the suspended articles, since the jaws will adapt themselves to articles of varying diameter.

The manner of forming the jaw members is one which permits them to be formed from flat metal strips of the proper length, the outer ends of which are bent or bowed to impart the configuration to the jaws and to bring the metal into the desired vertical relation, the necks being twisted to bring the rear ends of the jaw members into horizontal relation, which is necessary in order to provide the pivotal mountings for the movable jaw members. This twisting not only brings the front and rear portions of the metal strip into the desired relationship tosubserve the intended function, but also afiords twisted or convolute neck portions which stiffen the structure very materially at the neck and also aflord internesting portions which act as stops to limit the inward thrust of the movable jaw.

The horizontal or fiatwise position of the rear ends of the fixed jaw members permits them to be readily secured by rivets to the supporting bar, which not only serves to afford the necessary suspension for a plurality of clips but also overlaps and conceals the working portions of the several clips and provides a suitable and attractive finish for the upper portion of the holder. The arrangement as a whole affords a neat, attractive and serviceable appliance for the convenient support of a plurality of rubber stamps or the like on a desk'or table, which is a much more convenient method of supporting the rack than by suspending it from a wall or other structure.

Although the device has been designed primarily as a rack for the support of rubber stamps, it may be used to advantage as a pipe rack or as a support for various toilet articles, or other small articles of a similar nature.

I claim:

1. In a rack of the character described, a clip consisting of companion jaw members each formed of a fiat bar having an inner portion lying in flatwise relation to the inner portion of the companion jaw member and an outer gripping portion standing in edgewise relation to the inner portion and connected therewith by a twisted convolute neck, a pivot for connecting the inner fiat lying portions of the respective jaw members, a spring engaging the inner portion of one of the jaw members for holding the gripping portions of the jaws in closed relation, and a supporting member to which the inner end of the companion jaw member is secured, the twisted convolute neck portions being adapted to nest against one another when the jaw members stand in closed relation.

2. In a rack of the character described, a clip consisting of companion jaw members each formed of a fiat bar having an inner portion lying in flatwise relation to the inner portion of the companion jaw member and an outer gripping portion standing in edgewise relation to the inner portion and connected therewith by a twisted convolute neck, a pivot for connecting the inner flat lying portions of the respective jaw members, a spring engaging the inner portion of one of the jaw members for holding the gripping portions of the jaws in closed relation, and a supporting member to which the-inner end of the companion jaw member is secured, the twisted convolute neck portions being adapted to nest against one another when the jaw members stand in closed relation and each of the jaw members at its outer end being configured to coact with the other in afiording a throated entrance between. the jaws when closed.

3. In a rack of the character described, a clip consisting of companion jaw members each formed of a flat bar having an inner portion lying in flatwise relation to the inner portion of the. companion jaw member and an outer gripping portion standing in edgewise relation to the inner portion and connected therewith by a twisted convolute neck, a pivot. for connecting the inner flat lying portions of the respective jaw members, the twisted convolute neck portions being adapted to nest against one another when the jaw members stand in closed relation, a supporting member to which the inner end of one of the companion jaw members is fixedly secured, and spring means acting upon the other jaw member for normally holding the jaw members in closed relation.

STANLEY V. DAHLIN. 

